BEIRUTLebanon - Pro-Syrian Hezbollah and its allies called for a peaceful protest and open-ended sit-in in central Beirut on Friday to try to force out the government of U.S.-backed Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.

The anti-Syrian majority says the Hezbollah-led campaign could amount to a coup against last year's "Cedar Revolution" -- large protests that forced Syria to pull out its forces and elections that swept the coalition to power.

Shi'ite Muslim Hezbollah and its main allies -- the Shi'ite Amal Movement of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and the Free Patriotic Movement of Christian leader Michel Aoun -- say they want greater participation in decision-making and better representation in government to reflect their political weight.

Many Lebanese fear that large-scale protests could lead to street violence, deepening the political crisis and pushing Lebanon toward chaos amid escalating sectarian tension.

An opposition statement on Thursday called for a demonstration and open-ended sit-in in central Beirut on Friday to demand formation of a national unity government.

"All of you Lebanese -- regardless of where you come from, your beliefs, your sect or religion -- are invited to a peaceful, civilized popular movement," Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised address later.

Nasrallah has repeatedly criticized Siniora's cabinet over what he says was its failure to back Hezbollah during a July-August war with Israel, accusing some of the majority leaders of hoping at the time his group would be crushed.

Maronite Christian Patriarch Cardinal Nasrallah Sfeir said he opposed any action on the streets and said protests and sit-ins would complicate, not resolve, the crisis.

"What will happen if some people took to the street and they were confronted by some other people? In the end there would be a clash and we don't know what the end result would be," he said.

ARMY NEUTRAL

The Lebanese army has said it would be neutral in the political standoff but intervene to stop violence or attempts to storm government buildings.

Thousands of soldiers and police have been deployed in the streets of Beirut since the November 21 assassination of anti-Syrian cabinet minister Pierre Gemayel.

The protest will take place near the government offices and parliament in central Beirut, scene of Lebanon's largest protests last year.

Aides said Siniora would comment on the opposition move in a televised address to the Lebanese later on Thursday.

Six opposition ministers resigned this month, weakening Siniora's government.

Hezbollah and its allies said they pulled out their ministers after the majority coalition rejected their demands for a decisive say in government. The anti-Syrians say they quit to derail plans for an international tribunal to try suspects in the killing of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri in 2005.

A U.N. inquiry has implicated Syrian and Lebanese security officials in the assassination. Syria denies involvement.

Siniora's depleted cabinet approved U.N. plans last week for the special court for the Hariri trial.

Even though the two camps are divided on political lines, there are fears the crisis could deteriorate into sectarian strife between Muslims because most of the pro-Syrians are Shi'ites and the anti-Syrian majority is headed by Saad al-Hariri, Rafik's son, a Sunni. -Reuters